Perhaps the black-and-white stripes of his jumper tricked the lioness into thinking this young boy was a zebra - and that it was time for dinner.
Video footage shows the hilarious moment the big cat at Oregon Zoo tried to maul the youngster - only to be stopped by the glass partition.
The boy, named Jack, appears unfazed by Kya the lioness baring her teeth, keeping his back to her as she desperately tries to reach him.
Not content to give up, the big cat continues to lunge at the boy, standing on her hind legs as she scratches at the glass.
She even opens her wide mouth to cover Jack's head.
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And while the close proximity of the beast is a little unnerving, Jack's parents can be heard giggling in the footage, aware that their son is safe.
They even encourage the boy to look at the lioness and say, 'Hi kitty kitty'.
Oregon Zoo workers told Fox12 the lions are always interested in their young visitors at the zoo, adding that the exhibit is completely safe.
Four-year-old Kya, who weighs 250 lbs, joined two other lions at the zoo's then-new exhibit, Predators of the Serengeti, in 2009.
Arriving from Wisconsin's Racine Zoo, she joined another female and a male lion to become the star of the five million dollar exhibit.
Before their arrival, the zoo last had lions in 1998.
source: dailymail